On Thursday, June 2 at 2:00 p.m., the Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee is scheduled to consider a triple-threat of anti-gun legislation: A1426 (the exact same smart gun bill pocket-vetoed by Governor Christie in January), together with ACR175 & A3689 – companion bills whose purpose is to kill State Police regulations incrementally improving right to carry that were recommended by Governor Christie late last year.

SMART GUN LEGISLATION

While A1426 would roll back the ban on conventional handguns from New Jersey’s 2002 “smart gun” law, the bill is badly tainted because it swaps in a new mandate in its place, forcing every New Jersey firearms dealer to stock and display smart guns for sale – essentially compelling market acceptance of the technology instead of letting the free market decide. The effort to coerce smart guns onto the market by bullying dealers suggests that politicians will be back with their ban on all conventional handguns soon after an artificial market for the new and unproven technology has been created.

For key background on the smart gun issue, and why this legislation is so dangerous, please see ANJRPC Executive DirectorScott Bach’s editorial in The Record on the subject, and see this detailed ANJRPC alert on the subject from late last year.

ANTI-RIGHT-TO-CARRY LEGISLATION

Outraged by the recent promulgation of State Police regulations making a minor incremental improvement in right to carry recommended by Governor Christie, Senate Democrats led by Senator Loretta Weinberg (D-37) in early May fast-tracked SCR101, a legal trick that could kill the new regulations before they are even formally adopted. ACR175 is the Assembly version of that resolution, and it has now been paired with A3689, sponsored by Assemblyman Louis Greenwald (D-6). A3689 is an attempt to permanently cement in place New Jersey’s current unconstitutional carry permit standard.

Only in the Garden State do lawmakers openly block self-defense by those facing serious threats and tout it as a good thing. And only in the New Jersey does the state constitution contain an obscure provision allowing the legislature to unilaterally kill regulations issued by an entirely separate branch of government in a simple “resolution” that does not require the Governor’s signature to be effective.

Police owe no duty to protect individual citizens – a troubling doctrine repeatedly affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court. That means you’re on your own in an emergency, yet those who wish to take responsibility for their own safety are effectively blocked from doing so by New Jersey’s absurdly (and unconstitutionally) restrictive carry law.

The pending state police regulations recommended by Governor Christie represent a small incremental improvement, allowing those facing “serious threats” to qualify. Anti-gun legislators, who themselves enjoy the armed protection of State House security details, hypocritically are working to block everyone else’s self-defense rights. ACR175 and A3689 would be more aptly named the Citizen’s Victimization Act.

Please immediately tell all members of the Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee to vote NO on A1426, ACR175, and A3689. Tell them to instead support a complete repeal of New Jersey’s 2002 “smart gun” law, and to support the right of those facing serious threats to protect themselves where government has abandoned its obligation to do so.